Big thank you to the folks that have signed up to work the concession stand at the Woodson Homecoming football game this Friday! We appreciate you representing our team and hope you have a great time at the game.

1. VOLUNTEERING UPDATES
A. CRITICAL NEED: TAG DAY, SAT 10/26.
B. VASRA DOCK REBUILD, SAT 10/19 or SAT 10/26
C. 31st ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

2. RENTAL ERG RETURN, SAT 10/26

3. ONLY 6 GREEN DAYS LEFT!

4. ARE YOU ON SLACK?

5. WHAT YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN WOODSON ROWING

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

ACTION ITEMS
Please sign up here for our first Tag Day.

1. VOLUNTEERING UPDATES
   All of our volunteering opportunities are always just a click away on our volunteering page. Visit and bookmark the site to stay up-to-date on how you can help the team! 

A. CRITICAL NEED: TAG DAY, SAT 10/26.
Tag Days are the Woodson Rowing team’s most important fundraiser of the year. Properly staffed, Tag Days off-set many of your costs during the season! Novice athletes are strongly encouraged to attend Tag Days because: (1) it helps to knock out volunteer requirements, (2) they get to spend the day bonding with varsity athletes and (3) it teaches them how to “talk about” rowing (since it is a new sport to most). Please sign up here – we need all hands on deck to make this event work!! Our Tag Days webpage can answer lots of your questions, but also feel free to reach out to our Tag Day Coordinator, Patrick Obruba, via Slack.

B. VASRA DOCK REBUILD, SAT 10/19 or SAT 10/26
VASRA has asked for help in rebuilding docks at Sandy Run! No experience necessary, but know that this is a labor intensive job. Wearing CLOSED-TOE, sturdy shoes is a MUST. Make sure you note your affiliation with Woodson when you sign up: VASRA Dock Work Days.

(Note: Tag Days should be the priority on Oct 26, but if you have multiple family members that want to help crank out most of your volunteer credits in one weekend – divide and conquer!)

C. 31st ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Set up for the event will begin Friday, November 8 from 6-8p. Volunteers are also needed during  the event itself from 6:30a-4:30p on Saturday, Nov 9. Sign up to help to make this very popular regional show (that is also an important fundraiser for our team) a success. We will likely have 100+ vendors and, literally, thousands of shoppers on the day of the event. There are all types of volunteer spots available: help set up, provide baked goods, and get to know vendors on the day of the event. Sign up to help here: Craft Show Volunteer Sign Up.

We only have spots for about 9 more vendors! If your favorite vendor hasn’t signed up yet, encourage them to do so ASAP! 2024 Craft Show Vendor Registration.

2. RENTAL ERG RETURN, SAT 10/26
Return your rented erg to the Woodson Rowing Erg Shed (back of school near senior parking) any time during a 8a-12p window. If you can, plan to stay for the Erg Shed Workday going on at the same time!

3. ONLY 6 GREEN DAYS LEFT!
Including today’s Green Day, there are only 6 more opportunities to get some experience in the boats (or refresh your skills) until we officially go on-the-water in late February. Make sure you sign up for any and all days now! Green Days Sign Up Genius.

4. ARE YOU ON SLACK?
Slack is a communications tool combining the best elements of text messaging and email. We use Slack for more immediate communications than this newsletter. There are 2 separate Slack spaces: one for coach and athlete communications and a separate space for parent/guardian communications. 

Parent / Guardian Slack: In addition to push notifications for team related information such as weather or other cancellations, Slack creates a space for parents to be able to coordinate carpools, and other team related logistics. If you are a parent or guardian and are not yet on Slack, please send an email to [email protected] with the following information: (1) your name, (2) your email address, and (3) the full name of your athlete. Once your request is processed, you will receive a separate invite link from Slack to join. There is an app you may download on your mobile devices to access Slack or you may log-in using any browser.  

Coach / Athlete Slack: Coaches will ensure that all athletes are added to this Slack space. Athletes not currently on Slack should let coaches know at green days or optional strength training. Please note that you must have a NON-FCPS email to join this space. Parents and guardians do not have direct access to this space. This is your athlete’s responsibility and an opportunity for them to learn to communicate more readily and effectively with their teammates and coaches.

5. WHAT YOU NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN WOODSON ROWING
Before the season even kicks off, we have Green Days, optional strength training and winter conditioning. If you are interested in trying out Woodson Rowing, here’s what you need:

A. Have a physical on file with the Woodson Athletic Dept

B. Complete Woodson Athletics Registration (this is separate from the rowing team registration that will come closer to the season start)

C. Pass a swim test with Woodson Rowing. If you are a new athlete and have not done a swim test, please reach out to [email protected] to be placed on a list for future swim tests. We will have another round of swim tests in the fall/winter before on-the-water practices begin in late February.

Still feeling unsure? Check out the 2024 Parent Info Session Slides to see what the season is all about. Please also check out the Novice Tips page crafted by parent, Cindy Tomlinson to learn more about what the first year looks like.

6. CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE
This calendar is constantly updated as events are added. Scroll here for a quick rundown of what’s up and coming. Where relevant and/or available, links are provided for more information. You can also see a visual representation of our calendar on our website: https://woodsonrowing.org/calendar/

OCTOBER:

• Thu, 10/17: Green Days at Sandy Run, 4:45p
• Fri, 10/18: Football concessions
• Sat, 10/19: VASRA Dock Work day
• Mon, 10/21: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
          Green Days at Sandy Run, 4:45p
• Tue, 10/22: Green Days at Sandy Run, 4:45p
• Wed, 10/23: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
• Thu, 10/24: Green Days at Sandy Run, 4:45p
• Fri, 10/25: Kokee Tea fundraiser, 3-7p
• Sat, 10/26: Erg Shed Work Day and return rented ergs, 8a-12p
• Sat, 10/26: First Tag Day, 8:45a – 4p
• Sat, 10/26:  VASRA Dock Work day
• Mon, 10/28: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
          Green Days at Sandy Run, 4:45p
• Tue, 10/29: Wendy’s restaurant fundraiser, all day long!
        Last Green Day, 4:45p
• Wed, 10/30: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a

NOVEMBER:

• Sat, 11/2: 2nd Tag Day, 8:45a – 4p
• Wed, 11/6: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
• Fri, 11/8: Set up for the craft show, Sign up to help
• Sat, 11/9: 31st Annual Craft Show, 10a-4p, Sign up to help
• Wed, 11/13: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
• Mon, 11/18: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
• Wed, 11/20: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a
• Mon, 11/25: Optional Strength Training at Woodson, 6:30a

DECEMBER:

• Mon, 12/2: Winter Conditioning Begins
• 12/23-1/3/25: Winter break. Tentative optional training during the week of 12/30-⅓.

JANUARY 2025:

• Mon, 01/06: Winter Conditioning resumes

FEBRUARY:

• Fri, 2/21: last day of Winter Conditioning
• Tue, 2/25: first day of on-the-water practice!

MARCH:

• Sat, 3/22: Polar Bear Regatta (Varsity Only), Sandy Run

WAIT – THERE’S MORE?

STAY UP TO DATE: Join the newsletter by sending an email to [email protected] or view the newsletter archives on our website.

VIEW AND UPLOAD PHOTOS: Visit our Woodson Rowing photos page for more information on how you can help protect our legacy with photographs!

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